but it's a total derelicts of duty and candidly, a lack of courage to deal with these issues. >> reporter: what's at stake for ordinary americans? with income and payroll tax cuts set to expire monday, taxes would go up for most everyone next week. $110 billion in spending cuts will kick in. and 2 million jobless americans will lose their unemployment benefits. like karen duckett of maryland who hasn't been able to find work since being laid off as a housekeeping manager at a retirement community last year. her unemployment benefits set to end tomorrow. >> this has been the toughest year, probably, in my entire life. >> reporter: duckett, a breast cancer survivor, worries how she'll care for her 14-year-old grandson and has a message for lawmakers. >> remember, these are people. it's not just numbers on a piece of paper. we are actually human beings, suffering out here. >> reporter: and over on capitol hill tonight, nbc's kelly o'donnell reports that the political balance in this, natalie, is critical to get a deal done, to get a deal passed before the deadline, saying that an agreement b